The Mets' bullpen, as is the case with their starting rotation, is going to be in lots of flux this offseason.
Along with electric closer Edwin Diaz, most of the Mets' relief corps from 2022 -- including Seth Lugo, Adam Ottavino, Trevor May, Trevor Williams, and Joely Rodriguez -- is about to hit free agency.
That means that the only key cog of the Mets' 2022 bullpen who is all but certain to be back in 2023 is Drew Smith.
The Mets should be doing everything in their power to re-sign Diaz, and it feels pretty likely that he'll be back. New York should also be exploring potential reunions with some of its other free agent relievers.
However, along with whichever of their own free agent relievers they bring back, and the in-house options they'll have, the Mets will have to hit the free agent relief market for some help from outside the organization.
Here are five external relievers who should be high on their wish list...
RHP ROBERT SUAREZ
The Mets will be in need of a late-inning bridge to their closer, who will hopefully be a returning Diaz. And Suarez, who recently made the transition from Japan to MLB (where he was dominant this season for the San Diego Padres), would be a great fit.
Suarez, who is entering his age-32 season, has a $5 million player option for 2023 that he seems poised to decline. And if he does, the Mets and many other teams would likely be ready to pounce.
Suarez was terrific for the Padres this season, with a 2.27 ERA (3.22 FIP) and 1.04 WHIP with 61 strikeouts in 47.2 innings -- a rate of 11.5 per 9. Suarez was a tad wild, walking 4.0 per 9, but that was offset by his allowing just 5.5 hits per 9 and giving up just four home runs all season.
His stuff is explosive, with a fastball that averaged 97.7 mph in 2022 and topped out around 101. Suarez also features a changeup and cutter.
LHP ANDREW CHAFIN
The Mets had a chance to ink Chafin last offseason but opted to trade for Rodriguez instead in an effort to fill their need for a lefty.
Chafin has a $6.5 million player option with the Detroit Tigers for 2023, but it seems likely that he'll decline that and look to get a multiyear deal on the open market.
Chafin wasn't as dominant in 2022 as he was in 2021, but he was still very good, with a 2.83 ERA (3.06 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with 67 strikeouts in 57.1 innings over 64 appearances.
Along the way, Chafin was strong against both righties and lefties, and held left-handers to a .233/.320/.344 triple slash with just two home runs allowed in 90 at-bats.
RHP RAFAEL MONTERO
The sample size on the Mets' old friend being elite is small, but Montero has been helping to set up for a Houston Astros team that is full of elite relievers with nasty stuff.
In 68.1 innings over 71 appearances during the regular season, Montero had a 2.37 ERA (2.64 FIP) and 1.02 WHIP with 73 strikeouts.
